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| Clash of the Classes host David Beard |
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| Clash of the Classes champion Glenn Hills |
Aubrey McRae (‘2014), fresh off a stellar senior season at Clayton State, proved that basketball remains a young man’s game by scoring 33 points, burying 6 three pointers in the process, on his way to game MVP honors. But more seasoned Spartans like Reggie Middleton and Jerel Stephenson (‘2008) also showed they have much more left in their tanks by carrying the Spartans during key stretches of play.
McRae showed his pride after the game by claiming to be a #Spartan4Life on Facebook, while Middleton celebrated by posting a picture taken alongside fellow Glenn Hills (2008) state champions Stephenson and Chris Reynolds, and pointing out that everybody who said the trio was “too old,” or “washed,” had been proven wrong.
Truth be told, it made good sense to predict a Wildcat win. Laney’s squad included greats like Rod Hall (‘2011), who finished a four year run as Clemson in 2015, and former Benedict College standout Xavier “Da-Da” Collier (‘2006), a player age never has been able to slow down, as well as Harold Doby (‘2010), a three year starter for Augusta University.
But Sunday belonged to Glenn Hills, which blew the game open with a 26-8 run that lasted for the first 6 minutes of the second half, and ended with McRae’s fourth three pointer of the quarter, which came immediately after teammate Daniel Quarles blocked Hall’s shot on the other end to ignite a fast break. McRae’s 22 point second half outburst followed a strong first half by Middleton and Stephenson, who scored 13 and 10, respectively, before intermission.
A true testament to the kind of appreciation heaped on Beard, who graduated from Glenn Hills and sank a couple free throws himself in the win, came when even Laney’s players and supporters, who were smarting from a blow to their collective pride after a sizable loss, expressed their gratitude for chance to participate. Doby told me after the game that he felt good, even though he hadn’t played basketball in two years, and that he plans to play in a men’s league soon. Even Chris Thomas (‘2007), a Greene County assistant football coach, a former Benedict College football standout and the biggest Laney fan in the building Sunday gave Beard an enthusiastic stamp of approval, thanking him "for giving the city something to look forward to these next couple of summers!!!"
If you think the “former” players only expressed so much appreciation for the chance to gather and play ball in Beard’s event because they don't get as many opportunities to do so as the scholastic competitors do, I present to you the actions and words of the high schoolers who were given the honor of competing in the boys and girls Top 20 Area Showcase games.
McRae showed his pride after the game by claiming to be a #Spartan4Life on Facebook, while Middleton celebrated by posting a picture taken alongside fellow Glenn Hills (2008) state champions Stephenson and Chris Reynolds, and pointing out that everybody who said the trio was “too old,” or “washed,” had been proven wrong.
Truth be told, it made good sense to predict a Wildcat win. Laney’s squad included greats like Rod Hall (‘2011), who finished a four year run as Clemson in 2015, and former Benedict College standout Xavier “Da-Da” Collier (‘2006), a player age never has been able to slow down, as well as Harold Doby (‘2010), a three year starter for Augusta University.
But Sunday belonged to Glenn Hills, which blew the game open with a 26-8 run that lasted for the first 6 minutes of the second half, and ended with McRae’s fourth three pointer of the quarter, which came immediately after teammate Daniel Quarles blocked Hall’s shot on the other end to ignite a fast break. McRae’s 22 point second half outburst followed a strong first half by Middleton and Stephenson, who scored 13 and 10, respectively, before intermission.
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| Aubrey McRae: Clash of the Classes championship game MVP |
A true testament to the kind of appreciation heaped on Beard, who graduated from Glenn Hills and sank a couple free throws himself in the win, came when even Laney’s players and supporters, who were smarting from a blow to their collective pride after a sizable loss, expressed their gratitude for chance to participate. Doby told me after the game that he felt good, even though he hadn’t played basketball in two years, and that he plans to play in a men’s league soon. Even Chris Thomas (‘2007), a Greene County assistant football coach, a former Benedict College football standout and the biggest Laney fan in the building Sunday gave Beard an enthusiastic stamp of approval, thanking him "for giving the city something to look forward to these next couple of summers!!!"
The High Schoolers Showed their Appreciation too
If you think the “former” players only expressed so much appreciation for the chance to gather and play ball in Beard’s event because they don't get as many opportunities to do so as the scholastic competitors do, I present to you the actions and words of the high schoolers who were given the honor of competing in the boys and girls Top 20 Area Showcase games.
Take Jordyn Dorsey, a rising junior for Cross Creek who zipped home from Columbia Sunday afternoon, minutes after finishing three days of team camp at the University of South Carolina, so she could participate in the girls game at 4:00 P.M. Dorsey arrived just in time to be interviewed by WRDW for a special news segment about the area's best player, who recently received a scholarship offer from Charleston Southern, a Division I program, despite the fact that she has two seasons of high school ball remaining.
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| Jordyn Dorsey (Cross Creek '2021) |
Dorsey competed fiercely, but her Team Black squad found themselves in the same predicament every class 4A team in South Carolina has encountered during the past 3 high school seasons, overwhelmed by the unstoppable force that continues to be the North Augusta Lady Yellow Jackets.
The back-to-back-to-back state championship program was represented expertly by seniors J'Mani Ingram and Tyliah Burns, and junior Kiana Lee, who was named MVP after Team White's 42-27 victory.
The back-to-back-to-back state championship program was represented expertly by seniors J'Mani Ingram and Tyliah Burns, and junior Kiana Lee, who was named MVP after Team White's 42-27 victory.
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| Kiana Lee (North Augusta) - MVP Top 20 Area Showcase |
The boys version of the Top 20 Area Showcase, which concluded the evening, also featured several players who wedged the opportunity to play with and against their elite local peers into a hectic June and July schedule that this year has become all about "exposure" to college recruiters.
The game's can't miss college prospects, Kobe Stewart (Cross Creek '2020), RJ Felton (Aiken '2021), Latavian Lawrence (Gray Collegiate '2020), Emmanuel Jones (Glenn Hills '2020) and John Whitehead (Glenn Hills '2020) all competed Friday and Saturday in NCAA certified team or individual camps before darting over to Richmond for a fun day of fellowship and competition at Richmond.
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| Team Yellow topped Team Red 82-75 in the Top 20 Area Showcase |
Jones was named MVP after scoring 28 points for the victorious Team Yellow, which defeated Team Red 82-75 after holding off a second half comeback attempt led by Felton and Lawrence. The 6'7" wing posted on social media Sunday night that he was "blessed" and had "so much love for this game," which is fitting because, in a way, like I said earlier, between Beard's creation, Glenn Hills's alumni tournament championship game triumph and Emmanuel's MVP honor, the day belonged to Glenn Hills.
But the gift Beard gave made an impact far beyond an affiliation with a particular school. And the impact it made will last a long time. I can't wait to watch what Beard's creation will grow into, and what he will give us in the future.
Enjoyed this game ‼️ https://t.co/Ww6iyDKZNG— Latavian Lawrence (@LatavianL) July 1, 2019
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